Lemon Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 small Hokkaido pumpkin (organic if possible)
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small red onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 cups water
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
- Optional: 1 tsp vegetable broth paste/powder
Roasted pumpkin
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
Pasta
- 2 servings pasta of choice
Preparation
Wash pumpkin (peel if not organic), cut into 4 large pieces, clean out seeds and strings, and cut into bite-size chunks.
Dice onion and garlic.
Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil and fry onions until fragrant, then add garlic, cashews, and 2 cups of the cubed pumpkin. Continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and coconut aminos.
Transfer to a blender or use a handheld blender to blend until smooth and creamy.
Add about 1 tbsp lemon juice and season to taste with salt.
Preheat oven to 375 F/190 C
For the roasted pumpkin, add the remaining pumpkin cubes to a bowl and toss with 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp turmeric, dash of cayenne pepper, and salt to taste.
Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, adjusting time as needed.
Squeeze some lemon juice over the roasted pumpkin when done.
Cook pasta according to package instructions
Add the cheese sauce to the cooked pasta and roasted pumpkin, and enjoy.
